The Issues

Nancy is committed to:

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Nancy is dedicated to continued fiscal stewardship:

 

 

Quality Growth

Good planning is a major reason that Raleigh is the prosperous and beautiful city that we all enjoy. It is critically important that we continue to plan carefully for future growth, providing opportunities and choices for all of us in how we live, work and play.

Raleigh is projected to continue to experience the highest population growth rate in the U.S. over the next ten years, 2010-2020! Sustainable development is key – we cannot sacrifice our area’s future to satisfy fleeting short-term gains. That means investment in infrastructure should be based on a clear vision. Managing water usage and supply have to be a priority. Only good growth planning will assure that we have adequate drinking water supply to meet the demands of our projected growth rate over the next 30 years. It is going to take conservation and potential new sources of supply to meet our future drinking water needs. We cannot begin this process in 20 years. Now is the time.

Quality growth is essential for the long-term vitality of Raleigh and the surrounding region.  As Chair of the Council’s Comprehensive Planning Committee, Nancy played an instrumental role in developing Raleigh’s widely praised Comprehensive Plan that Council approved last year. That plan took 18 months and was the result of a careful evaluation of citizen, municipal and business interest. The next step is passing a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that guides the implementation of this outstanding plan. Nancy is committed to a UDO that protects neighborhoods, and provides direction, certainty and flexibility to the development community.

Enhancing Economic Vitality

Raleigh must continue to be a business-friendly city. A balance of low taxes, a stable government, strong, AAA bond rating, and great amenities are essential to attracting good people, great companies and 21st century jobs. After nearly 4 years on Raleigh’s City Council and many years as a small business owner, Nancy has the experience required for working with the community to put the pieces together to make our economy continue to set the standard for what can be done, even in challenging times.

Despite the recession, Raleigh continues to be one of the top ten growing cities in the nation. During the economic downturn, Nancy has voted for balanced budgets that did not raise taxes while maintaining Raleigh’s ability to retain its valuable employees who provide the essential city services we all rely upon. Nancy understands that we must remain diligent in spending taxpayer resources just as in business, with the goal of a high return on investment. Likewise, we have to be judicious in utilizing the city’s financing authority. We must avoid schemes that do not have a public purpose but subsidize only special interests.

As a vital part of a great leadership team, Nancy is thrilled to see Raleigh named by Forbes magazine as the “Best Place to do Business in America” and the “Third Cleanest City in America”. Those of us who live here, however, are not surprised. Good planning, strong neighborhoods, and collective creativity are what make Raleigh consistently rank amongst the best places in the U.S. to live and work. Nancy is proud to have helped lead The City of Raleigh onto many of “Top” lists in the country, and knows what it takes to keep us qualifying for these well-deserved accolades.

Improving Sense of Place

Our future is dependent upon protecting and enhancing the benefits that living in Raleigh offers. Safe neighborhoods, clear air and water, vibrant parks, great schools, energy sustainability, arts & culture, a range of transportation options, and a strong business climate will always be priorities for Nancy. Businesses are attracted to well-rounded communities that offer a high quality of life for their employees and their families.

During the past four years on the Council, Nancy has supported new recreation and senior centers, expansion of parks and greenways, additional police and fire stations, stepped up acquisition of water supply land buffers, and other measures that led the US Chamber of Commerce to name Raleigh the Most Sustainable Mid-Sized City in the Nation.

Strengthening all Neighborhoods

The vitality and stability of our diverse Raleigh neighborhoods are so important to maintaining Raleigh’s character for families and residents. That’s why Nancy has supported additional inspectors to monitor development sites, and supported the landlord registry and PROP ordinance to handle nuisance rental properties. Nancy continues to receive positive feedback from the Police Department regarding the effectiveness of this program for safety and homeowner protection. The City needs to continue to respond to requests from the community to assure public safety. Nancy has advocated for more citizen involvement in the zoning process, and has been a consistent voice for neighborhood concerns. One vital component to this are our many Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs). Nancy also strongly supports the role Raleigh’s 18 Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) play in helping our city determine the future and keep our Neighborhoods strong. The official City of Raleigh web site describes these groups as a connecting point between a municipal government and its residents. The CACs provide a way for the City to share information about government activities and to receive feedback from the community. Through CACs, residents and neighborhood groups participate in decisions directly affecting them.

Creating Jobs

Small business has always been the backbone of our economy, and with thousands of State employees losing their jobs, it is even more important that our City do all it can to help small businesses open and expand. Through effective leadership and with strong, consensus building skills, Nancy established a Small Business Office within City Government with unanimous support from fellow council members. The office will serve as a single point of contact where existing businesses and entrepreneurs can go to learn all they need to do to start a business, find mentorship help, coordinate inspections, and streamline the permitting process necessary to open and expand small business in Raleigh. There are already lots of great resources available in the community to help businesses at all levels. This office would serve to bring together those resources for ease of citizen access.

In addition to the Small Business Office, Nancy again used her leadership abilities to successfully establish a Small Business Commission to identify issues, challenges, and problems facing small businesses in dealing with the City. Nancy recognizes that positive efforts and initiatives presented by Raleigh City Council must be embraced by Council and the public as a whole. Nancy’s small business efforts received unanimous support from fellow council members and are representative of Nancy’s team-player, consensus building, leadership style.

Expanding Transportation

Future transit options are criticalRaleigh has grown from 270,000 people in 2000 to over 400,000 people today. That 50% growth rate is a reflection of Raleigh’s economic vitality and quality of life. Conservative projections have Raleigh growing by another 100,000 people by 2020. In these next nine years, we have to address the fact that an effective and accessible transportation infrastructure is vital to our continued success. We need more transportation options – including walkable and bike-friendly communities, improved traffic calming designs, and more public transportation options. Nancy advocated for more funds in the bond dedicated specifically for bus stop shelters and benches.

Raleigh stretches almost 18 miles north to south and 17 miles east to west, covering over 145 square miles. From Wakefield to Wake Med, from Walnut Creek to Brier Creek, from Pullen Park to Renaissance Park, from Lake Wheeler to Westlake, from Durant Road to South Saunders Street – Raleigh is a diverse set of communities, each with their own unique transportation challenges. Solving them will require providing transportation options including expanded bus service and moving forward with regional rail. Both options are critical to handling our expected growth while maintaining the character of our existing neighborhoods. Although this is primarily a regional issue, Raleigh must show strong leadership. That’s why Nancy supported the fast tracking of the new Falls of the Neuse bridge, and advocated for the transportation bond to expand bus shelters, sidewalks, and roads.

Protecting the Environment

Nancy has long been recognized as a leader in environmental stewardship for Raleigh and NC. As President of the Greystone Homeowners Association, she was active protecting and cleaning up Greystone Lake from stormwater runoff. As a City Councilor she has successfully advocated for stricter stormwater standards that protect our local waterways from runoff pollution. She has also been active in establishing the Falls Lake Rules to protect the quality of our drinking water. She is the Council liaison to many environmental advocacy groups including the Upper Neuse River Basin Association, Storm Management Advisory Commission, and the Environmental Advisory Board. Nancy truly believes that we do not have to sacrifice the integrity of our environment in order to accommodate our current needs.

Nancy McFarlane for Mayor 2011